2012 Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoors

Shop local if you can

Camp: The Board Game is a fun family activity where children and adults alike… (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO )

December 11, 2012|Gary Blockus

Yes, it's that time of year again, when negotiating traffic around the shopping malls on MacArthur Road in Whitehall is more difficult than avoiding another hunter during small game season on State Game Lands 205.

Once again, we've decided to make it a little easier for the outdoors-oriented people among us for this holiday shopping season. If you don't have any clue as to what to get the outdoors person on your list, check out the annual Holiday Gift Guide for the Outdoors at the Lehigh Valley Wild blog at http://blogs.mcall.com/outdoors to see some of the newest gear on the market, as well as get ideas that fit into your budget.

Last year, we urged you to do your part for our local outdoors shops, especially the fishing and sports shops that contribute to the weekly Fishing Report and Outdoor Report. We're able to provide good information on fishing spots and hunting activity because these mom-and-pop shops are still in business, and we'd like to see them remain in business in order to help keep you informed of what's going on in our local outdoors scene.

Outdoors usually means doing something together as a family or with friends, and bad weather can keep you indoors. If you long for the days when family gathered in a circle and played board games or built jigsaw puzzles, then Education Outdoors Inc.'s board game "Camp" (www.campboardgame.com) is the ideal gift. Designed to level the playing field for everyone involved, question cards feature four levels of answers based on age, from Tenderfoot to Nature Enthusiast. This is a great equalizer that allows a 4-year-old to compete on an equal footing with a 55-year-old. The game is designed for everyone 4 and older, and some of the questions for the Nature Enthusiast are pretty challenging based on age. A Tenderfoot, for example, would be asked to identify a picture of a bear. The Nature Enthusiast is asked for a bear's scientific name. A full game, with anywhere from two to eight players, takes a maximum 30 minutes to play. It's a perfect fun learning experience for everyone in the family. It retails for $24.99 and sells both online and at Cabela's. Other board games from Education Outdoors include "Hit the Trail" and "Fishing Camp."

If you're looking for gifts that keep on giving, Pennsylvania fishing licenses for 2013, as well as the trout and Lake Erie permits, are available now.

Another fun gift would be signing someone up for the annual eight-week beginner fly-tying class conducted by the Hokendauqua chapter of Trout Unlimited. The class, which includes a manual, all materials plus an in-class use of a limited supply of fly-tying tools, costs $30 for those over 18, but is free for those under 18 and active or disabled veterans. The class runs 9:30-11:30 a.m. on eight consecutive Saturdays from Jan. 5 through Feb. 23, and there is no greater feeling than catching a fish on a fly that you tied yourself, or maybe that your son or daughter will tie for you. Contact Dale Ott at 610-262-7598 to register.

Another cool idea for anglers would be to make use of a subscription to the Mystery Tackle Box (www.mysterytacklebox.com). The monthly subscription introduces both beginners and experts to some of the newest products and techniques in fishing with a variety of products featuring well-known and lesser-known manufacturers. Gift subscriptions come in three-, six- and 12-month increments for as little as $15 per month. A new "tackle box" of goodies arrives each month, based on the subscription.

Many outdoors people are also active on the water, and the Lehigh Valley Kayak and Canoe Club is offering indoor paddling classes at Lafayette College's Ruef Natatorium on Sundays beginning Jan. 13 and running through April 21. The first two sessions are introductory classes and cost $30, but participants must also provide a boat and the required safety equipment. Jerry McAward of Northeast PA Kayak School (610-325-3432 or http://www.kayakschool.com) will rent kayaks for the class. For a complete look at the offerings and requirements, go online to http://www.lehighvalleycanoeclub.org and click on 2013 Classes and Pool Sessions.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission also has a number of items for sale, available either online (www.pgc.state.pa.us) or at the regional offices, including Reading and Dallas (Luzerne County), as well as the main headquarters in Harrisburg. Items range from a 2013 Pennsylvania Wildlife Calendar to commemorative knife and patch sets.

For runners, St. Luke's half marathon is suggesting gifting your favorite training partner with an entry into the 2013 St. Luke's Half Marathon and 5K on Sunday, April 28. To register a friend, email racedirector@stlukeshalfmarathon.com or go online to http://stlukeshalfmarathon.com.